Chapter 58

Chapter 58

This night, Qin Jianhe, contrary to his aggressive demeanor from the previous night, was exceptionally gentle with Ye Zhiqiu.

It felt like being immersed in warm spring water, every part of him carefully attended to. Ye Zhiqiu found himself biting the corner of the quilt, emitting soft, entangled breaths and light moans.

Just as he was marveling at Qin Jianhe's newfound conscience, the already damp corner of the quilt was mischievously pulled away from him.

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

Before he could utter a curse, Qin Jianhe’s warm fingertips pressed against his lips.

With a slight rub, they pushed straight into the warmth and softness between his teeth.

Ye Zhiqiu: "&*%￥#…"

Because his lips couldn't close, all the sounds he wanted to hide were exposed.

Ye Zhiqiu closed his eyes, listening to the rapid, passionate breathing by his ear and the cat-like sounds he was making, causing his cheeks to flush.

He couldn’t see it himself.

But under the slightly dim lighting, Qin Jianhe saw everything clearly.

Ye Zhiqiu’s half-closed eyelashes trembled incessantly, his snow-white skin flushed with a faint redness, and his moist, red lips glistened…

His breathing became erratic and lost its rhythm.

Instinctively, he leaned down and kissed him deeply.

...

Ye Zhiqiu didn’t know when he fell asleep, but without doubt, every night with Qin Jianhe, he slept soundly.

Without a single dream.

When he woke up again, the sky outside had just begun to show a faint gray light.

He reached out instinctively with his eyes still closed, but though the bedding was still warm, the other side of the bed was empty.

Ye Zhiqiu paused for a moment before slowly opening his eyes.

By the bed, Qin Jianhe was tidying his clothes.

A casual white hoodie and black jeans, simple lines that made his tall frame look even more upright and neat.

At this moment, his thick eyelashes were half-lowered, revealing a glimpse of the shirt sleeve beneath the hoodie as he adjusted the cuffs.

Noticing that Ye Zhiqiu had woken up, Qin Jianhe looked over slightly.

"What time is it?" Ye Zhiqiu’s voice was hoarse.

"It's almost six o'clock." Qin Jianhe supported himself with one hand beside Ye Zhiqiu’s pillow, leaning down to look at him.

"Do you have any plans today?" Seeing his casual attire, Ye Zhiqiu assumed he had some leisure activities planned.

His mind slowly processed the thought that Nie Fengjun’s boyfriend’s ex-wife and daughter were nearby.

But Qin Jianhe softly replied, "No."

After a moment, he added, "There's an urgent matter at the company; I need to go back today."

Ye Zhiqiu blinked, taking a moment to process, "So soon?"

"Mm." Perhaps finding his reaction amusing, a faint smile flickered in Qin Jianhe’s eyes as he checked the time on his wrist.

"If you're in a hurry, you should leave quickly." Ye Zhiqiu smiled, half his face buried in the pillow, lazily.

Meeting his smile, Qin Jianhe couldn’t resist leaning down and giving his lips a gentle bite.

Every glance at Ye Zhiqiu seemed to deepen the lingering affection and reluctance in his heart.

So when he stood up, he didn’t look at Ye Zhiqiu again, grabbing his coat and draping it over his arm as he turned and left the room.

The room grew quiet.

With one person gone, the temperature seemed to drop slightly. Ye Zhiqiu burrowed back into the quilt and closed his eyes.

Even though it was still early, he inexplicably lost his sleepiness.

After tossing and turning for a while, Ye Zhiqiu reached for the pajamas tossed casually by the bed last night and put them on.

Then, he pulled the quilt back over himself, leaning against the headboard to check the group messages.

Last night…

No, according to domestic time, it should be eight in the morning. Li Shaojun said he would help secure that apartment, wondering how it went.

There were many messages in the group, surprising Ye Zhiqiu.

He paused for a moment before tapping the top right corner to view the first message and started reading from the beginning.

After sending the last message last night, Li Shaojun had sent a few more replies.

They mainly mentioned that the rental contract would be signed in that apartment, and he would send a more detailed video later.

He also reminded Ye Zhiqiu to let them know if he needed anything else, so he and Jin Baobao could take care of it, ensuring he could move in upon return.

...

At the time, Ye Zhiqiu was already drawing, so he didn’t see these messages in time.

Later, a bit later, around the time Jin Baobao and Tang Yue had woken up, they exchanged a few more messages about the apartment.

Up until then, everything in the group chat seemed perfectly normal.

About half an hour later, Tang Yue suddenly sent a voice message in the group.

His voice sounded like he was crying, asking where Li Shaojun and Jin Baobao were and whether it would be convenient for him to meet them.

At that moment, Li Shaojun and Jin Baobao had just arranged a meeting time with the realtor and were on their way to sign the contract.

Hearing something wrong with Tang Yue’s voice, they immediately changed course and made a detour toward the Fashion Institute.

When they arrived, Tang Yue was waiting at the school gate.

His hair was messy, his clothes dirty, as if he had spilled some drink, leaving the upper part of his shirt soaked and making him shiver from the cold.

At first glance, he looked pitiful beyond words.

Yet when they asked him what happened, he remained silent, like a mute gourd.

In such cold weather, no one knew how long he had been freezing. With no choice, they took Tang Yue to a nearby commercial street to buy new clothes and change into them.

Li Shaojun even called the realtor to apologize profusely, barely managing to get them to wait another half hour.

After getting Tang Yue settled, the two brought him along to the rental apartment.

The neighborhood in the Central Business District is generally high-end, with residents mostly wealthy or influential, and the landscaping and amenities are top-notch.

Upon entering the apartment, Tang Yue’s eyes lit up.

It was spacious and bright, with a balcony connected to a small rooftop garden of over ten square meters.

The garden was filled with green plants, and a swing chair was set up in one corner, reminiscent of the one in the Ye family’s courtyard.

The round table and lounge chairs for relaxation were placed facing the sun, making them look incredibly comfortable at first sight.

The apartment was a two-bedroom, two-living room unit, with an area of only ninety square meters, yet it felt very spacious inside.

The off-white decor was both simple and warm, creating a cozy atmosphere.

Although Tang Yue didn’t understand much about interior design, just looking at the wooden floor that almost reflected his image, he could tell it was expensive.

Li Shaojun was holding his phone, filming a video for Ye Zhiqiu while introducing it to him.

"Here is the secondary bedroom," he said. "You can use it as a separate studio."

"This apartment is in the center of the complex," he continued, "so the soundproofing is excellent; your work and rest won’t be disturbed."

"Also, the landlord is abroad, so you can rent it long-term. If they decide to sell, you can buy it—it’s perfect for one person."

As the camera turned to him, Tang Yue smiled and waved, "Hi, Xiao Qiu."

"About this apartment," Tang Yue finally spoke up as Li Shaojun was about to upload the video to the platform, "it must be quite expensive, right?"

"Not really," Li Shaojun replied. "The landlord recently moved abroad and wants someone clean to take care of the place, so the rent is lower than the average in this area."

Tang Yue: "……"

Tang Yue came from a poor family and had a younger brother.

Their house was tiny, and he and his brother shared a room less than ten square meters, sleeping in bunk beds.

For years, his greatest motivation was to earn more money.

To own a home where he could live comfortably.

To be honest, before seeing the big houses of the Ye family and Jin Baobao and Li Shaojun’s families, he even thought the school dormitory was a thousand times better than their cluttered home.

Now, seeing this apartment…

Tang Yue couldn’t describe his feelings.

Plainly put, this apartment struck a chord deep within him.

The ideal home he had always dreamed of never had a concrete form.

But stepping into this apartment, his vision of the future instantly materialized.

However, even this rare good fortune belonged to Ye Zhiqiu.

Tang Yue lowered his eyes, and jealousy and disgust rose in his heart once again.

"Xiao Qiu’s luck is truly amazing," he said.

Li Shaojun didn’t say anything but smiled, a clear expression that seemed to suggest this was as it should be.

Li Shaojun filmed the video, while Jin Baobao signed the contract and paid the deposit.

Everything was settled, and the three went downstairs, bidding farewell to the enthusiastic realtor.

Outside, the sun was shining brightly, and children were running around in the central garden, their laughter echoing everywhere, while the elderly were enjoying the sun, playing chess, and chatting.

"Want us to take you back to school?" Li Shaojun asked Tang Yue.

Tang Yue remained silent, biting his lip and lowering his eyes.

He was still holding a bag, inside which were his dirty clothes that he had changed out of.

Li Shaojun wasn't particularly warm towards Tang Yue, especially after the incident where Tang Yue secretly contacted Yu Renzhi, bypassing Ye Zhiqiu, in an attempt to use Yu Renzhi's connections to enter Q.L.

But Jin Baobao had a soft heart.

Although he had been angry at the time, seeing Tang Yue looking so pitiful now, he couldn't help but stop.

"Le Le," he asked, "Did someone bully you?"

Hearing this, Tang Yue seemed to be taken aback, but then he shook his head.

"No," he said.

Seeing this, Li Shaojun also looked over indifferently.

"If there's something wrong, just say it," he said. "Even though Boss Autumn isn't here, Bao and I will help you if we can."

Tang Yue seemed hesitant, but after a moment, he could no longer hold back, and his eyes turned red.

"If..." he looked up at them, "What if I want to rent a place outside with Xiao Qiu, would you think that's okay?"

Hearing this, Jin Baobao and Li Shaojun exchanged a glance, both feeling a bit stunned.

"What happened?" Jin Baobao asked first, not answering his question.

"Is it because of your roommate today?"

Otherwise, Tang Yue wouldn't suddenly want to move out.

Tang Yue lowered his eyes and nodded. "It's all my fault. I accidentally spilled water on the senior's half-finished thesis project, ruining it completely."

"He hit me and threw water on me; it was deserved," Tang Yue said, his voice already choking with emotion.

Hearing this, Jin Baobao and Li Shaojun exchanged another glance.

Everyone understood how important a thesis project is.

Putting oneself in his shoes, it's hard not to break down when faced with such a situation.

With this kind of conflict, it's likely that Tang Yue won't have an easy time in the dormitory from now on.

"Have you reported it to a teacher?" Li Shaojun asked. "You can apply for a room change."

"That senior has good relationships with others, and I'm afraid even if I change rooms, it might still be..." Tang Yue hung his head, looking even more pitiful.

"How about this," Jin Baobao suggested, "We buy an expensive gift and apologize to the senior."

"You mentioned that your senior has good relationships, so he probably isn't unreasonable. He might have just lost control today. Let's prepare a gift to apologize. Once he calms down and realizes you didn't do it on purpose, and sees your sincerity, I think he won't continue to make things difficult for you when you apply for a room change," Li Shaojun added.

"Here's what we can do," seeing Tang Yue silent, Li Shaojun continued, "A few days ago, my cousin gave me a watch, but I don't really like it, so I've kept it. I'll bring it over later. You can give it to your senior as an apology gift. It should be enough."

Tang Yue knew about the watch. Li Shaojun had posted about it in the group, complaining that his cousin never cared about him but sent him a watch with the same color scheme as his original one.

At the time, Li Shaojun acted like it was nothing, but Tang Yue later checked the price and found that even the basic model cost over 100,000 yuan, and the high-end version could be upwards of 300,000 yuan.

Such an expensive gift, he could just take out like that.

For a moment, Tang Yue was stunned, and gratitude surged within him.

But soon, he realized something.

Li Shaojun was doing this not for him, but for Ye Zhiqiu.

His attitude was clear; he did not approve of Tang Yue living with Ye Zhiqiu.

Tang Yue lowered his eyes, his emotions becoming even more complex.

"That's too expensive," he said. "I can't accept it."

"Well..." Jin Baobao was also at a loss, unsure of what to do.

Ye Zhiqiu was quite particular and didn't like others invading his personal space.

Over the years, only he and Li Shaojun had been close to his life.

But Ye Zhiqiu took care of Tang Yue a lot, and now that Tang Yue made such a request, it put him in a difficult position.

As Jin Baobao was pondering how to respond, Tang Yue lifted his eyes.

"Shaojun, Bao," he said, "I'm really touched by your help. I'll figure out the rest myself."

Hearing this, Li Shaojun and Jin Baobao didn't push further.

However, shortly after they parted ways, Tang Yue sent a message in the group, tagging Ye Zhiqiu.

He recounted what happened at school, and Jin Baobao and Li Shaojun provided some additional details.

The last message in the chat was from Tang Yue.

"Le Le: Xiao Qiu, I wonder if it would be convenient to live together for a while until I sort things out here. @One Leaf Knows Autumn."

Tang Yue knew how much Ye Zhiqiu cared for him.

Without him having to ask, Ye Zhiqiu had already provided him with considerable support in terms of material needs and academics.

Let alone now, when he made such a humble request.

Tang Yue didn't believe Ye Zhiqiu could refuse.

That house is really great.

If at first, Tang Yue was only designing this scenario to complete the task assigned by Tao Ruoqing, then now, he is truly captivated.

On summer nights, sitting in the rooftop garden, enjoying the breeze and gazing at the stars; on winter mornings, lounging in a swing chair or recliner, basking in the sun while reading a book; or perhaps, just sitting at that small table, sipping a warm drink...

It must be quite enjoyable, right?

Considering the time difference between China and the U.S., Tang Yue knew Ye Zhiqiu couldn't respond immediately, so after sending the message, he went to class.

It wasn't until eight o'clock in the evening that the group chat finally came alive again with Ye Zhiqiu's response.

"Zhiqiu: I just contacted the senior. Fortunately, there's still enough time for him to start over, so this isn't completely irreparable."

"Zhiqiu: The senior is quite reasonable. As long as I go back and help review his thesis project and offer some constructive feedback, everything will be fine."

"Zhiqiu: However, since it was an accident, don't feel too guilty. When I return, I'll bring a gift for the senior, and I believe he will eventually let it go."

"Zhiqiu: Regarding the dorm supervisor, I contacted Professor Li, who has already communicated with them. You can go and finalize the procedures directly."

Ye Zhiqiu swiftly handled everything and sent the messages all at once, leaving no room for Tang Yue to hesitate.

After reading the group chat messages, he realized that Tang Yue's actions were likely under Tao Ruoqing's instructions.

Once he moved out, Tao Ruoqing would no longer be able to control him as she did before.

She wouldn't be able to instill those distorted beliefs in him or constantly monitor who he interacts with and what happens around him...

For Tao Ruoqing, who has controlled him for nearly twenty years, this is both unfamiliar and unacceptable.

After all, if not corrected promptly, the possibility of deviation increases significantly.

So, she sent Tang Yue to follow him, acting as her eyes and ears.

Moreover, Tang Yue's quiet and harmless appearance makes him the type of person who can easily make others listen calmly.

Using him to convey certain ideas is the least likely to raise suspicion.

For Tao Ruoqing, he is the perfect choice.

In the past, Ye Zhiqiu might have fallen for it.

Without hesitation, he would have taken Tang Yue in.

But now...

Ye Zhiqiu first contacted a familiar senior to get the contact information of Tang Yue's roommate.

He then called immediately.

With his recent prominence at the fashion week, if Ye Zhiqiu claimed second place, no one would dare claim first.

Especially since he was the previous champion of the International Fashion Competition.

Most importantly, the official V.F. Weibo account had just announced his interview today, lavishing praise on this rising star in the fashion world.

Despite still being upset with Tang Yue, the attitude softened upon hearing it was Ye Zhiqiu calling.

Ye Zhiqiu sincerely chatted with the senior, confirming that Tang Yue indeed poured water on someone's thesis project, which shocked him greatly.

He had underestimated Tang Yue before.

Not only does he act flawlessly, but he also doesn't hesitate to harm others for his own benefit.

Pouring water on such an important project just to create a convincing scenario to stay with him.

After hanging up, Ye Zhiqiu paused for a moment before contacting their teacher, Professor Li Qinghe.

Professor Li Qinghe has always favored Ye Zhiqiu.

Seeing his willingness to help his classmates even from abroad, he felt deeply gratified.

He immediately agreed to help Tang Yue communicate with the dorm supervisor to expedite the process.

...

With just a few phone calls, Ye Zhiqiu rendered Tang Yue's scheming futile.

Tang Yue lowered his eyes, silently staring at Ye Zhiqiu's reply on the screen for a long while.

He wanted to type something, but hesitated for a long time, unsure of what to say.

It seemed like everyone in the world likes and helps Ye Zhiqiu.

And he, merely a ridiculous clown.

No matter how meticulously he acted, it all amounted to nothing against Ye Zhiqiu's few words.

Not to mention, he even received a lecture from Ye Zhiqiu.

To make matters worse, Li Shaojun and Jin Baobao chimed in with their effusive praise.

Over the past two days, not only Li Shaojun and Jin Baobao, but he himself had to suppress his intense jealousy and shower Ye Zhiqiu with praise, now feeling nauseated at the mere sight of it.

"Shaojun: As expected of my Xiao Qiu, you can accomplish anything when you set your mind to it."

"Baobao: Wonderful! Xiao Qiu, is there anything you're not good at? Clapping.jpg"

"Fortune Cat: Le Le, the issue is resolved, are you happy? @Le Le."

"..."

Tang Yue looked down at the messages popping up on his screen, sitting in the library with pursed lips, unaware of how grim and terrifying his expression was.

Then, he raised his hand to turn off the phone screen.

But just as it darkened, another message from Ye Zhiqiu came through.

"One Leaf Knows Autumn: Sorry, Le Le. It's not that I don't want to live with you, but..."

As if there were some unspoken reason, he added a string of ellipses,

A moment later, another message arrived.

"One Leaf Knows Autumn: You know, couples in love always prefer more private space. Sorry, sorry. If you really want to move out, you can find an apartment near the school, and I'll pay the rent for you. Blushing, jpg."

Even though every sentence Ye Zhiqiu wrote seemed normal and the reasons were valid, seeing "I'll pay the rent for you," Tang Yue still felt a painful tightening in his stomach.

This was why he could never accept Ye Zhiqiu's kindness.

Because he always felt like he was being given charity.

With Ye Zhiqiu's message, the chat window immediately flooded with new messages.

"Li Shao: Don't tell me you want to live with Qi Xin? I object."

"Fortune Cat: Treasure, let's reconsider?"

"Li Shao: You're only nineteen, my lord. No rush. Wait until you're twenty-nine before deciding which one to choose."

"Fortune Cat: Thirty-nine is fine too. Let me tell you, there's a trend now called 'elderly culture.' Live life to the fullest when young, and only think about finding a partner when you can't move anymore. Listen to me, it's right, treasure."

"..."

Clearly, these two clowns' words were one funnier than the other, yet Tang Yue seemed to have seen nothing,

His face darkened as he slowly withdrew his hand from his stomach and finally began to reply.

"Le Le: Thanks Xiao Qiu, you've really helped me a lot. Since the school has sorted things out, staying in the dorms would be more convenient."

"Le Le: Love you, flying kiss.jpg."

Seeing his message, Ye Zhiqiu chuckled.

Then, he checked the time.

After all this fuss, it was already close to seven-thirty.

Qin Jianhe should be boarding soon.

Ye Zhiqiu calculated the time; by the time Qin Jianhe landed, it would be exactly the right time for work.

Speak of the devil, his phone vibrated again—it was a message from Qin Jianhe.

The first message listed all the Chinese restaurants near the exhibition halls in New York, ranging from Northeastern cuisine to Hangzhou dishes, sweet to spicy, offering a wide variety.

It was unclear whether he knew them beforehand or asked Uncle Fu.

The second message listed the Chinese restaurants near the exhibition halls in London.

Ye Zhiqiu was slightly taken aback, then replied,

"One Leaf Knows Autumn: Didn't you say Uncle Fu isn't familiar with London?"

Qin Jianhe quickly responded.

"QIN: Uncle Fu isn't, but I am."

The morning sunlight shone brightly, illuminating a corner of the bed and Ye Zhiqiu's smooth, pale cheek.

His eyes curved into a smile, even his slightly lowered eyelashes seemed to carry a hint of joy.

"One Leaf Knows Autumn: Thanks, I'll remember to try them."

"One Leaf Knows Autumn: Are you about to board?"

"QIN: Almost."

"QIN: Wishing you success at the show. See you when you get back."

Ye Zhiqiu smiled at the message until the phone screen automatically turned off, then put the phone down.

He got up to wash up and prepare to attend the show.

At the same time, the airport announcement began the second call for passengers to board.

Qin Jianhe put his phone in his pocket and prepared to go through security.

The phone vibrated again in his pocket. Thinking it was Ye Zhiqiu, Qin Jianhe pulled it out and saw it was Meng Qingyan.

"Meng Qingyan: Brother, is your wife interested in working part-time in the film crew?"

"QIN: How so?"

"Meng Qingyan: Our makeup artist is hospitalized, and we start filming in about a month. We haven't found a replacement yet."

Qin Jianhe pondered for a moment, recalling Ye Zhiqiu's negotiation with him before coming to Q.L.

One of the things he hopes for is to be able to do some costume design work for film crews without affecting his main job.

"Qin Jianhe: He likes it."

"Meng Qingyan: Then I'll recommend him to the director."

Today was the first script reading for the crew. Because the two male leads, Baiyou and Meng Qingyan, were not getting along and almost seemed like rivals instead of lovers, everything was delayed until late in the evening before everyone could finally pack up and go eat.

"Director Zhou," Meng Qingyan called out after the director had only walked a few steps, "did you watch the fashion shows these past two days?"

Director Zhou Lian had also been worrying about the stylist issue recently. Hearing this, he stopped and smiled, "Yes, I did."

"What do you think of Ye Zhiqiu?" Meng Qingyan asked straightforwardly.

Zhou Lian was taken aback, "Are you suggesting inviting him to our crew as a costume designer?"

Previously, Zhou Lian had been looking within the industry and hadn't considered professional designers.

Now that Meng Qingyan had opened his mind, he immediately thought it was feasible.

Not just feasible, but incredibly so.

This Ye Zhiqiu has made it onto the trending list several times on his own.

Most importantly, he looks good.

Looking good means there's always a topic in the entertainment industry.

"Sure," Zhou Lian said, "but I still need to ask for Old Zhao's opinion."

For this movie, due to Meng Qingyan joining the cast, Meng's Jewelry and Q.L. have both added investments.

However, Zhao Yunzhuang pulled together the team and holds the primary investor position firmly.

Before, Zhou Lian had considered several well-known and reputable stylists within the industry, but they were all rejected by Zhao Yunzhuang.

This movie is an urban-themed one, and the styling should not be too difficult in theory.

But achieving a high-end, quality look is indeed challenging.

Zhou Lian had been extremely worried about this, so as he walked, he dialed Zhao Yunzhuang's number.

"What? Ye Zhiqiu?" Zhao Yunzhuang laughed, "Interestingly enough, someone recommended him to me too."

"Really?" Zhou Lian's eyes lit up at the tone, thinking this might actually work, "Who's so perceptive and faster than me?"

"My son," Zhao Yunzhuang said, "Zhao Keqi."

"Oh, I see," Zhou Lian flattered, "truly, a tiger doesn't give birth to a dog."

"Don't praise him," Zhao Yunzhuang said, "at first, he recommended Ye Zhiqiu as an actor, but the guy didn't even respond. Later, he suggested him as a stylist. I suspect he's interested in the guy and is just trying to get close, but this time, it's coincidental."

Zhou Lian laughed heartily and then asked, "What do you think of him?"

"I watched the shows in New York these past two days and revisited his previous work," Zhao Yunzhuang pondered slightly, "I think we should see him in action at the show and meet him before deciding."

Zhou Lian felt a headache coming on and tried to persuade him, "Old Zhao, although Mr. Li is hospitalized, he still agreed to oversee things. Do we really need to be so strict with the stylist?"

"No way," Zhao Yunzhuang insisted, "what does a modern drama rely on? Sexual tension and styling. The setting of this movie is already limited; if we don't pay attention to the costumes, are you planning to offer it to the gods?"

"Yes, yes," Zhou Lian conceded.

*

The show was scheduled for the evening, so Ye Zhiqiu spent the day watching several major shows until returning to the hotel in the afternoon.

As he came back, he ran into Sun Chaoyang, who was waiting for the elevator downstairs with over ten cups of coffee.

Seeing Ye Zhiqiu approach, Sun Chaoyang awkwardly turned around but eventually turned back.

"Teacher Xiao Ye," he greeted.

"Mm, Sun Chaoyang," Ye Zhiqiu smiled.

He carried a backpack and wore casual clothes, making him appear younger.

His smile was warm and welcoming.

Seeing this, Sun Chaoyang's heart skipped a beat. He looked around and spoke again.

"Teacher Xiao Ye," Sun Chaoyang said sincerely, "I'm sorry."

"It's nothing," Ye Zhiqiu smiled, "people always aim higher; I understand."

Hearing this, Sun Chaoyang blushed even more.

The elevator arrived at the ground floor, and they silently entered. As the doors closed, Sun Chaoyang couldn't hold back any longer.

"Teacher Xiao Ye, I know it's my fault, but," he pursed his lips and gripped the bag of coffee tightly, "I really want to come back."

He continued without pause, fearing he would lose his courage, "Please, give me another chance."

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu's smile faded, and he quietly looked at him for a moment.

After a while, he finally said softly, "Sorry."

Sun Chaoyang's face fell, but he seemed to have expected this and gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"That day, they deliberately sent me away during the meeting," Sun Chaoyang said, "so I don't have evidence that Director Zhou instructed Designer Zhao. But today, before Mr. Qin left, Director Zhou went to apologize to him. Zhao Zhi's flight was today, and Mr. Qin sent him back."

Sun Chaoyang didn't know the specifics of how it was handled, so he didn't mention it.

But thinking about it, Zhou Lang taking the initiative to push Zhao Zhi out means that Zhao Zhi is definitely shouldering the blame.

"Qin Jian... Mr. Qin asked Zhao Zhi to go back?" Ye Zhiqiu asked.

Under normal circumstances, without substantial evidence, even major issues should be handled after the exhibition concludes, at least after the New York segment of the exhibition ends.

But now, Qin Jianhe actually sent Zhao Zhi back directly.

Zhao Zhi's situation doesn't seem too optimistic.

Still, who knows?

Ye Zhiqiu thought about the atmosphere in Zhou Lang's team and Sun Chaoyang's request to rejoin their group...

He couldn't help but smile.

Perhaps there were some other unknown agreements between them.

Who could say for sure?

The elevator stopped at the floor, and Ye Zhiqiu nodded slightly at Sun Chaoyang, acknowledging his gratitude.

"Thanks," he said.

That night's show went smoothly, and when it ended, Ye Zhiqiu was interviewed by two media outlets again.

As he walked out of the venue's main entrance, his phone vibrated in his pocket.

It was from Qin Jianhe.

It seemed like the last time he saw a message from Qin Jianhe after an interview was also around this time.

Thinking about that day, Ye Zhiqiu's lips curled up involuntarily.

He opened his phone to check the message.

"QIN: Had lunch at a Hunan restaurant near the company today. Image.jpg"

In the photo, there was an untouched plate of diced pepper fish head, steaming hot and fragrant. Even through the screen, Ye Zhiqiu found himself swallowing unconsciously.

Damn! He couldn't help cursing.

Knowing how much he craved it, was this intentional?

His phone vibrated again.

Another message from Qin Jianhe came in.

"QIN: Ye Zhiqiu, didn't you say you would treat me to a meal? Haven't you treated me yet?"

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

He remembered treating Qin Jianhe already.

Though not at that restaurant.

Come on, Qi Xin knew to make diced pepper fish head to please him. Why is this guy sending food pictures late at night and still asking for a treat?

Ye Zhiqiu made a mental note.

Qin Jianhe, minus ten points.